The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a request by Honolulu City Council candidate Tommy Waters that challenged the results of Nov. 4 election, a race which he lost by 41 votes to Trevor Ozawa.

The decision clears the way for first-time candidate Ozawa to be sworn into office at the Jan. 2 Council meeting as scheduled.

Waters wanted the court to order either a recount by hand of the 4,455 “blank” votes recorded in the election – or a new election.

But the court rejected Waters arguments that enough uncertainty existed with the process that one could reasonably conclude a recount could alter the results.

In its 5-0 decision, the court said Ozawa received the majority of the votes cast and has been elected councilmember for District IV.